Stardate 52054.2 "I'm flooding all decks but the bridge with anesthezine gasses," Enoz said as she tapped the panel next to her chair. She kicked herself mentally, realizing immediately that she should be giving orders right now rather than reconfiguring the ship's environmental systems herself. It wasn't like she needed a reminder that she was in command of the Equinox, with the ship being invaded by Goulavar and Jem'Hadar soldiers she was painfully aware of that fact. Enoz looked sharply at the Operations officer, "Mull, there must be a dampening field preventing our transporters from beaming our unwanted visitors off the ship. Find it." "I wonder why none of them beamed to the Bridge," Elea said. "The readings indicate they beamed primarily to Engineering and the anesthezine control tanks on deck eleven. They've obviously had some experience in boarding starships," reported Beeg. "The dampening field is being generated by the Jem'Hadar ship," Mull stated. "I'm also reading that the Wiansani weapons are going right through their shields. If we retune the phasers to those frequencies, we should be able to destroy them." "Do it, Beeg!", Enoz ordered. The Pinx began retuning the phasers but stopped when Mull yelped, "Wait! I'm reading other life signs on board that ship, Human, Klingon, Vulcan and Romulan! 12 people." "P.O.W.s," Enoz surmised, "Beeg, target their shield generators. Mull, beam them out as soon as you can. Then get rid of that ship." A shot lashed out from the Equinox, hitting the Dominion cruiser. Mull nodded at Beeg, indicating the transport was complete. The Pinx fired two more phaser shots and the Jem'Hadar ship exploded in a fireball, knocking the Equinox hard to port. Mull scanned again. "Commander, that blast took out the Goulavar shields. I've got a clear lock on Reman and Ming. I'm beaming them to Sickbay with the P.O.W.s." "Beeg, maintain anesthezine gas levels on all decks. I don't want those Jem'Hadar and Goulavar waking up," Enoz said, "Mull, full shields, and hail Antal." "He's not responding to hails. They're locking on weapons," Mull said, shocked. "With no shields?", Enoz gasped. The Goulavar vessel turned towards the Equinox and sped up to full impulse on a collision course. "Fire at will!" Beeg launched a full spread of torpedoes, destroying Antal's ship. Enoz shook her head, "Why did they get suicidal?" "We've got soldiers of theirs on board. There must be something about them they don't want us to know," Beeg said. "I agree," nodded Enoz, "Clear the environmental systems on any decks without Jem'Hadar or Goulavar. Put your people from those decks in E-suits and gather them up. I want the Jem'Hadar and Goulavar kept sedated and under guard, separated in holodecks one and two. Clear the rest of the decks of gas when you're done. Also, see to it that Reman and Dr. Wallin are put in holding cells. Do that personally." "Wallin, ma'am?" "He could have warned us about the Dominion alliance." Beeg nodded and left the bridge. "Mull, what are the Wiansani doing?" "They're just hovering out there, not doing anything," the Bajoran reported, "I think the blast disoriented them." "Elea," Enoz turned to the helm, "Take us into the nebula before they decide to come after us. Mull, realign the buoy grid we laid out so we'll know if anyone else shows up. I better contact Starfleet Command and let them know we have another enemy." Enoz stepped into Mason's ready room and sat at his desk. She tried finding a clear frequency on one of Starfleet's usual channels, but couldn't. There was nothing but subspace static and ion storms. It was very normal to hear, but not on all frequencies. She tapped the desk for a moment, thinking. They were already outside of known space, Starfleet never headed in this direction because it had been assumed that with all the supposed ion storms in the region, there were no spacefaring races. Yet, the Equinox had stumbled upon both the Goulavar and Wiansani, two very established races engaged in a war. Enoz stood and went back to the bridge, "Ensign Chandler, access the deflector dish and download all subspace frequencies into the universal translator." "Yes, ma'am." Enoz stood behind him as he ran an analysis. As data started filtering onto the screen, her eyes widened, "There's mathematical structure to this. The noise we thought was ionic storms is actually their communication language." "If they wanted privacy, it's a great way to hide the existence of an active civilization," commented Elea. Enoz nodded, "Chandler, Mull, cross-reference all those transmissions with our astrometric charts. Display a map on the screen. Assume encrypted transmissions to be military sources and unencrypted civilian locations. That should give us a civilian and tactical layout." "Ma'am," Elea said, analyzing the results as quickly as the computer could display them, "All of their populated systems correspond to our charts of ion storms." "Not good," Enoz muttered, "They obviously control those storms for privacy and communications. Could be a source of power over the Wiansani even. All this and allies with the Dominion, too. We have to warn Starfleet. Plot a course for Federation space. Mull, scan that direction with the buoys, see if we have a clear escape." "We don't, ma'am. I'm reading signs of Goulavar and Dominion activity in at least three dozen systems." "We didn't see that coming here! What changed?", Enoz asked. "I'm not showing anything from the buoys, that's according to the communications we've been decrypting and their sources the last few minutes." Enoz looked at the map on the viewscreen again, "Antal waltzed us right through over half their space acting like a friend. We covered three parsecs of it ourselves just exploring. But even with the ion storms, we should have seen something. Wait..." She stepped behind Elea and pointed to a line on the tactical layout, "There's virtually no military along this corridor and we've been in it almost the entire time." "A neutral zone," Elea pondered, "between Goulavar and Goulavar?" "Belay that course plotting," Enoz said, "Enoz to Beeg, where's Wallin?" "Holding cell two, with Reman. We're in the final stages of sorting the Goulavar and Jem'Hadar, we should be able to clear all decks of the gas in ten minutes." "Very well, Enoz out. Elea, analyze the charts and see if you can plot a course for a class nine probe to get out of their space with our sensor records and logs. Mull, you have the bridge." She stepped into the turbolift and went down one deck to one of the clear ones. Enoz paused in the corridor for a moment, gathering herself. She was unaccustomed to being in command with no relief and this much going on. Maybe Ming or Mason would get well soon. Once relaxed, she proceeded to the holding cell. Wallin and Reman were sitting on opposite sides of the cell, but both scrambled to their feet at the sight of Enoz, "Dr. Wallin. Why did you neglect to tell us about the Dominion? Are you still working for the Goulavar?" "The Goulavar Confederation, yes." "Confederation? As compared to...?" "The Goulavar Republic. There are two Goulavar entities. Antal works for the Republic. The Republic was negotiating a treaty with the Dominion when Antal's ship met you." "If you work for the Confederation, why were you on a Republic ship?", Reman asked. Enoz remained silent, thinking it wiser to withhold the news of Antal's death. "I'm an agent for the Confederation. Goulavar space is split between us and the Republic. They believe in continuing the domination and exploitation of the Wiansani. The Confederation started as Goulavar sympathetic to the Wiansani rebellion. Momentum gained, and eventually lead to civil war and an armistice." "Continue," Enoz said, hoping he'd say something that could prove his trustworthiness again. She did like him. "The Confederation and Republic are divided by a demilitarized zone, a neutral zone as you would call it." Enoz believed him now. "We and our free Wiansani have been deadlocked with the Republic and their dominated Wiansani for decades. Their negotiations with the Dominion were our first chance for a breakthrough. I was on Antal's ship to encourage the alliance." "That's stupid!", yelled Reman, "With the Dominion on their side, they'll be strong enough to destroy you!" "Shut up, thief!", Enoz barked. She was rather angry over his stealing her triad's herbs. "Although, it is a valid question." "Everything the Dominion touches gets destroyed, allies or no. The Republic is not as weak and complacent as Cardassia. Their pride will eventually clash with the will of the Founders, and the Jem'Hadar will destroy them. We merely await that day as the Confederation has signed a pact of nonaggression with the Dominion." "So there have been both hostile and friendly Wiansani around us recently?", Enoz asked. "Yes, the hostile ones being slaves for the Republic. I imagine conflicting events are becoming somewhat more clear now," Dr. Wallin said, smiling. Enoz dropped the forcefield, allowing him to exit, "Go back to Sickbay and assist the EMH." Reman started forward but Enoz whipped out her phaser and stunned him. The Ferengi went flying back and slumped against the back wall. She reactivated the forcefield and followed a very curious Wallin. "Do Starfleet Regulations allow you to do that to civilians?" "No, but he's caused my husband and mate considerable pain and you're not going to tell anyone," she said. "I'm not?" Now, Wallin was just confused. "No, because there's dozens of Republicans on board and I'm protecting you from them." Wallin nodded in understanding, and they continued walking to Sickbay. Enoz shook her head. She was bluffing Wallin, but he didn't realize it. She could always explain it away as preventing Reman from escaping much deserved confinement, but inwardly, she felt both angry and pleased with herself for shooting him. "Somehow, we've got to get out of here," she said, "We can't go back the way we came, but we have very little information on this space. I have no idea where to head." "Your Romulan allies have a base in the Sloot system. It's about five parsecs from here, at the end of the neutral corridor. I believe they're building warships for use against the Dominion." "Funny, they didn't tell us that," Enoz muttered, "I appreciate that information." When they entered Sickbay, Wallin immediately went to check on Hindman, who was still knocked out by numb gas with a phaser in one hand. The EMH and a Vulcan tended to the P.O.W.s. Ming lay unconscious. A moment later, the EMH came over. "Hindman is stable and sleeping. The P.O.W.s are undernourished and exhausted, but otherwise fine." "I see one is helping you." Enoz stated, nodding at the Vulcan. "Elani Borgatella, she was on the Odyssey when it, ah...", the EMH grew silent, "Anyway, the Captain is still in a coma, and Commander Ming is undergoing a severe allergic reaction to the Oblokoni herb. Actually, more of a withdrawal. It could last for days." "I guess that leaves me in command," sighed Enoz, "Carry on." She walked out into the corridor and strolled back to the bridge. Once there, Mull glanced up wearily. Elea's head hung low. Chandler had his head on his console, and only Beeg seemed full of energy. "Commander," Mull said. "The class nine probe is ready for launch. Starfleet will get our message in about a week." "Very well, launch probe. Elea, do you have navigational data on the Sloot system from our eavesdropping?" She nodded. "Lay in a course along the corridor and engage. There's a Romulan presence there. With some of their P.O.W.s and Jem'Hadar prisoners, we may be able to get to the Federation through their space." She began to sit, but Syxx and several other officers arrived. Just glancing at him, she knew what it meant. "Everyone take six hours off," she ordered. Mull, Chandler and Elea straggled out, but Beeg was scanning something, "Ma'am, I was trying to confirm our roundup of all the aliens, but I'm detecting an unknown lifeform, a small one, in Reman's barber shop. Shall I investigate?" "Please do." The Pinx exited hastily. "Mind watching the store for a few hours, Commander Syxx?", Enoz asked the Engineer, already knowing the answer. "Not at all," he said, grinning with pride. She turned to leave, then stopped. Syxx put a hand on her shoulder, "You've had a long day, even by Oblokoni standards. You've done all you can." She nodded and stepped into the ready room for nap on Captain Mason's couch.